It has been so dry in our area lately that it has really been almost scary. Lately when we have had chances of rain it has managed to just miss us. Late last night after a few rumbles of thunder the drops began to fall and joy filled my heart and the heart of my family.
This year has been full of changes for our family. As most of you know from an earlier post, I went back to work outside of our home for the first time in ten years. It has been a blessing, but it has definitely required a lot of adjusting for my whole family. Gone of the days are mom I forgot or calls from my hubby with a list of errands. Also starting to be gone were the days of blogging. I would feel little nudges from time to time, but time just was not in excess in any way, shape or form. Lately I managed to slip in some time here and there to do a little blogging. I realized how much I missed blogging and how much I love it! There is so much about blogging that I enjoy. While I love the opportunity to try new things and share, most of all I realized how much time blogging allows me to spend with my girls. If I’m in the kitchen, at least one of them is right there with me. So here I am world back at it and loving every second!
Our girls love to spend time with their Dad. That love grows even bigger when a trip to Nana and Papa’s is included. Chloe was so excited to tag along with Dad on an Oklahoma turkey hunt. It sounds like she sat as still as one would expect an eight year old girl on her first turkey hunt to sit. She was the head camera woman and videoed the hunt for her Dad. Our family has enjoyed re-watching her video work time and time again since she returned from her adventure with Dad.
It is that time of year again. Our girls have chosen their 4-H pigs. They will feed water and love these pigs all summer as they prepare for Fair Season.
The idea of having a family owned business is a dream of many Americans. Everyday Americans step out of their comfort zone and start living their dreams. On occasion those small businesses grow to become nationally known. That is the case with the Hobby Lobby stores. I know and understand the importance of following tax laws when running a business, but what about when government begins to require businesses to do things that go extremely against their personal beliefs. Requirements that have nothing do do with running a business, but everything to do with personal choices. I don’t usually use my blog to give my opinion about topics like this, but as a member of a family who owns a small business I am saddened by some of the changes that are taking place in our country. Take a moment to watch this video and see if you Support Hobby Lobby . Remember that as a country we are calling people to be diverse and sensitive to the views of others. I’m not asking anyone to force their beliefs on others, but I am asking that people take a moment to think how they would respond to demands that go against their beliefs.
There are so many questions and options these days about what is good quality meat and where to get it. While rural living may put some things a little farther out of reach; fresh good quality beef is not one of them. We are able to place an order and have it delivered right to our door each fall. One of the great things about it is that the guy who raises the beef is the same guy who delivers. All of the beef is implant and hormone freee, so I feel good about what I am feeding my family. Steven’s has a lot of options for your order size. You can custom build your order and they even have packages available that are great for Bonuses, Thank You’s, Gift Boxes and Holiday Gifts. If you live in this are and want more information you can contact Brad at any of the information listed below.
September and October are two months that I have become very aware of over the past few years. Of course I am aware of the beauty outside and the cooling temperature. I now know that September is ovarian cancer awareness month and October is breast cancer awareness month. There is not one of us who has not been affected by one or both of theses diseases either directly or indirectly. About ten years ago my awareness changed forever when my life was directly affected by ovarian cancer. That is when I lost my mom to the disease, she was only 47 years old when she died. I watched her be diagnosed with the horrible disease and then watched her fight hard her last few years. She fought hard to beat the disease. She fought hard to be an amazing wife. She fought hard to be a great mom, grandmother, sister, daughter and friend. It was a fight that she gave all that she had, but eventually she needed to rest. My mom never missed an opportunity to tell her story. She became very bold and would ask ladies if they had made their yearly appointment. She would make sure that she explained the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. She wanted to do all that she could to make sure no one who came into her path ever had to suffer the pain and fear that comes with ovarian cancer. It has taken me a little longer to become bold about the topic. In all honesty it is a little uncomfortable to ask friends if they have scheduled their yearly or if they are aware to the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. Last year I decided that on the day I go for my yearly I would text all of the ladies in my cell phone contacts list to remind them to be aware of the importance of taking time to take care of themselves. As women we tend to get busy taking care of husbands, kids, friends, and just busy with life. We usually put off until tomorrow what should be done today when it comes to ourselves. If we stop for a moment we realize we would never put off any of the check-ups that our children need, so why do we post pone something that could save our own lives. I simply ask that each of you take the time to call your OBGYN and schedule your appointment. If you don’t have ovaries I will bet you know someone who does. If each of you on the day of your appointment text all of the ladies a simple reminder we can make being aware a little easier.
Talk to your doctor and discuss any concerns that you have. Make yourself aware of the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. Do your monthly breast self exams and be aware of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer. Awareness is the first step to prevention and treatment. So lets join together to become more aware and pass it on.
My mom has always been one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen.
My mom had never ridden in a limo, so her friends had one waiting for her one Sunday after church.
My last Mother’s Day with my Mom
I love this time of year. The air begins to cool. The leaves start to change colors and cover the ground. Living in rural Kansas also means fields of corn in every direction. Today we visited Meile Farms Pumpkin Path and Corn Maze with our girls and some friends. I enjoyed listening to the kids and adults as we tried to find our way through the maze while looking at the map we had in hand. There were fun activities for the kids and it just made for a great Sunday afternoon.
I have been wanting to tell you about my new love in the kitchen, but I have hesitated a little bit. I never want to promote anything that I have not tried out myself. I am not being paid for this blog post. I have just been so impressed with my new find that I wanted to share it with you. I have been married for eighteen years and in those years I have been on a quest to find the perfect non-stick skillet for our home. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and cooking for a husband and five kids can really put my cookware to the test. I can say that while I have manage to find some cookware that will do, I have never found the “one”. I recently found “it” “the one”. It is the Green Pan skillet made by the Green Pan company. This skillet has literally changed cooking in my kitchen. I am able to use very little oil, and at the same time cook more evenly and hassle free than with other skillets that I have used. The best part is that this pan cleans up easier than any I have ever used before. You can go to http://www.green-pan.us/us/home-1867.htm to read more about the technology used in making this cookware. If you decide that this might be the pan for you, it is easy to find at several locations and online http://www.green-pan.us/us/where-to-buy-2097.htm
There are many things in our lives that we consider valuable. Valuable can be defined by having considerable monetary worth; costing or bringing a high price like a valuable painting. It can also be anything of considerable use, service, or importance like valuable information. We love our cars, our homes, our jewelry, and a whole array of belongings. We try to care for these items to ensure that we will have them for years to come. More and more it seems that we are very concerned about our “things”. I happen to think that it is our responsibility to take care of the things that we value. Today I want us to look at another definition of valuable. Valuable as in having qualities worthy of respect, admiration, or esteem: a valuable friend. Our lives are busy and it is sometimes hard to focus on what we treasure most. Today I challenge you to really ask yourself “Do the ones I say that I love know how valuable they are to me?”. We talk a lot about being good stewards of our money and of our time, but I am seeing that far to often we are not good stewards of the relationships God has placed in our lives. It is really as simple as getting back to the basics of love. We all have many people in our lives that we love. We also love them all in different ways. I love my husband differently than I love my children, and my children differently than my friends. I’m sure you get the point. Regardless of the kind of love you have for someone, it is still important that you convey it. Take a moment and think about how you convey your love to others. If you are not currently conveying a message that shows that you love and value those in your life, then it is up to you to change the delivery of your message. Start with some simple things like think before you speak. Are your words harmful or helpful? Do your words encourage? If you you aren’t good with words then start with a sticky note on the mirror or in a lunch box. While sometimes love is shown in a big display of flowers and gifts, it is more meaningful when each day the ones you love know without question how important they are to you. Spend real time with your loved ones. We all find our time to be valuable and it is important to be wise about how we spend it. I am certain that at then end of the day if you were able to convey your love then your time was well spent. In Matthew 22:36-40 Jesus makes his message very clear. 36 Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses? 37 Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord Your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important, Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” So today I ask that you just simply look at your relationships and honestly ask yourself what you can do to take care of what you find most valuable.
Matthew 10:31 So do not be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
Job 28:17 Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal. It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold.
Proverbs 20:15 Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies.
Proverbs 15:17 A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate.
Proverbs 15:23 Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!
